There will be no permanent signings for Arsenal during the January transfer window, manager Unai Emery said on Thursday.

"We cannot sign permanently," the first-year Spanish manager said. "We can only loan players."

Arsenal has been strongly attached to Barcelona central midfielder Denis Suarez, but Emery was uncertain that a deal for the player could be completed.

"I don't know now his situation, but we can only sign on a loan," Emery reiterated.

Signed from Villarreal in 2016, Suarez has found first-team opportunities at Camp Nou few and far between. This season, the 25-year-old Spain international has only made six appearances in all competitions and Barca appears to be willing to sell the player.

"The club is working," Emery said of a potential loan arrangement with Barca. "The club is telling me each moment that different situations can happen for recruitment. But at the moment I don’t have new news on that."

Emery also offered praise for midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who is widely expected to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season with Juventus rumoured to have already agreed to a pre-contract deal with the Wales international.

"In the last match, I was very happy with him," Emery said. "I asked in the last match at Blackpool [in the FA Cup] if he is OK to help us play and he said, 'Yeah, coach, I want to play' and he played with a very big behaviour and commitment to us. After, his future belongs to him, his family and agent. Every day he's here with us, he's working very well."

Arsenal currently sits fifth in the table, three points behind Chelsea for the last Champions League place. The Gunners visit West Ham on Saturday before returning home for a key encounter with the Blues on January 19.